Hoist the Colours
by after.a.hard.day
Summary: /Pirates of the Caribbean flavoured Naruto Drabbles./ All men, are fool for the Gods. Pein, once Nagato, was no exception. PeinKonan
1. They say Captain Naruto Uzumaki, Naru

**Title: **They say Captain Naruto Uzumaki...  
><strong>Characters  Pairing : **Naruto. Slight NaruHina  
><strong>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Captain Naruto and the myths and truths there of.  
><strong>Notes: <strong>This is the first part of a drabble series, of a sort of Pirates of the Caribbean take on _Naruto_. No character's as you know them from the PotC will appear, but you will get Naruto versions of the characters, as well as Naruto version events, and back stories. I am stating this obviously **now, **before anyone yells at me for being a thief. If you would like to request anything, I suggest you go over to my lj while my muse is still hot. Unless stated otherwise, these aren't all connected, they are just as they appear beginning to end.  
><strong>standard disclaimer applies.<strong>

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><p>The drunkards laughed that when Captain Naruto Uzumaki was born, the rum flowed freely in Tortuga and the wenches were extra pretty, just for that day.<p>

(But that was according to Jiraiya, and Jiraiya stories always featured thus, not to mention the wenches who, in such a jovial spirit of things, were also extra cheap. But that was according to Jiraiya.)

The story tellers boasted that his first heroic act was the defending of the good maiden Sakura when her ship was attacked on her crossing to the Caribbean, at the tender age of 14.

(Sakura however maintained that it was more like the first time he had gotten drunk, and when the attack happened, she'd just picked up the pistol and cutlass that was supposed to be Naruto's and defended her own damn honour, whilst Naruto slept off his hangover, only to stop a particular shot aiming for her at the end of battle, and it was to her chagrin that it was the moment everyone remembered).

It was sung that he could ensnare a mermaid with his pure heart, that she had received her greatest gift, the softest and coldest of kisses that meant he would never drown, that for one day a year, she would endure the pain of land on her unsteady legs to be with him.

(The mermaid in question, did in fact love him, she did come to find him in human form one day a year - but he never knew it was her, or of her love. She had never kissed him, thus the reason he never drowned was that she never left his ship, swimming close by it and every time he fell overboard for whatever reason - battle, foolish antics or piss drunk - she would swim him back to the ship, or find the closest piece of drift wood. His crew knew, but she insisted they never mention herself).

But the one thing that was never mentioned except in close whispers by fire light - was the betrayal of Sasuke Uchiha, who mutinied Naruto, leaving him to die on a desert island, while Sasuke took his ship, the fastest ship in the Caribbean, the Kyuubi, to find his brother. That those cold days on the beach changed Naruto, who was now driven in single pursuit to take back what was his, the ship that had been the his fathers legacy.


	2. For That Which We Want Most, PeinKonan

**Title: **For that which we want most.  
><strong>Characters  Pairing :** Konan, Yahiko/Nagato/Pein. Pein/Konan  
><strong>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Deals struck with the Goddess cannot be undone, but when it is for love, what little does it matter?  
><strong>Notes: <strong>Pein & Konan. Davy Jones and Calypso style. There is a second part to this that I will post sooner or later. Again, go to my ljay, give me some love and I'll give you some love. ;D Oh yeah, I went there.  
><strong>standard disclaimer applies.<strong>

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><p>Nagato opened his eyes, slowly but surely. He felt weak, weaker then he ever had before. He wasn't on dry earth, he was a ship. Things came back slowly... a battle, Konan had been... bound? She'd been trapped. Unable to change forms and escape. So he and Yahiko, always loyal to her, in love with her as they had been since they were boys, went to save her... and Yahiko...<p>

All at once, he tried to sit up, but smooth, cool hands braced against him and pushed him back.

"Yahiko!" he tried not to shout, his voice was raspy so it came out as a panicked whisper even though it felt like he had screamed.

"... He's dead." The hands were still moving, still soothing.

"What?" it hurt to speak, but he knew the voice, knew those hands. "Konan..."

"I tried," there was a soft drop of wetness against his cheek. "_I tried..._" her voice steadied, and finally his vision came back from the blur it was, it felt like there were several of him looking around the room. "But I couldn't... save you both, not bound like this. Your body was damaged, and he was dead so I..."

Finally he realised why it was so blurry, he was looking at her from six different perspectives as one.

"I did what I could, to save you both. He lives now, through you." her voice was so tired, so worn, he wanted to pull her close, whisper to her like he had so many times before. But he didn't understand what she was saying... that was until she raised a mirror and he saw himself - no longer himself, Yahiko, orange hair... and strange piercings adorning his face. "Do not remove them, it is what controls them all." She gestured a hand, and the six perspectives became clear - five other bodies littered around. "I cleaned them and healed them and made them yours, controlled by you and only you." Her hand rose to his hair and ran down his cheek, repeating the motion over and over, trying to instil some comfort and warmth.

"... What happened?"

She shook her head, unwilling to answer. So he asked something else.

"What do you mean 'bound'?"

She sighed again, bone shaking and deep, the ocean seemed to rustle unsettled outside from her. "I am bound to human form... they found out the secret and that was how I am now. The reason why I could not save your own body. I am bound. I... need you to change me back, and I will show you the truth of your heart."

He nodded, mind numb. Unable to process the hand that was in front of his face, how cold and foreign it felt. But as best as he could, raised it to her face.

"How, how can I change you back?"

"The words that were spoken to me, were as though from a lover. Later, if you can..."

He stared at her, contemplating. As if to a lover? There was so much to take in. But nodded, yes he would free her.

"What happened to me?"

"Your original body is dead... so I... did what I had to, what I could to keep you alive. I have... changed you, _to keep you alive_." She repeated, insisting like she was trying to atone. "All that remains of your original body is your heart..." She reached over him, taking a chest that had been placed beside the bed. "When I returned to my normal form, I will place it back in your body, and you will turn back into Nagato... you will feel fully again. It can be kept outside of you, but when it is done so... you will turn back into Yahiko's body, and you will feel nothing. But you are no longer human, no longer allowed on land... except for one day every ten years."

He nodded, that explained why he felt no shock, felt no pain at the words she was saying to him. It felt so muted, so distance, like he was looking it all through a fogged glass. It was still there, but not completely his. He vaguely registered, that she was the sea, so he would never leave her, even if he could go on land, he would always be with her.

"But I need you to free me first." She took his hands and raised them up, bracing them either side of her face. "If you can still love me, say it to me."

All were muted but for - there, there it was, so pure and true, burning and scorching his heart, was his love for her. Never muted, for all that his heart thundered outside of his chest.

"I love you," he whispered, all of the feeling he had left, belonging to her. "_I love you._" He pulled her down, not caring that his hands felt strange to him, that he could see her, all of her, like he had never seen. She followed him willingly, pulling herself over him in warmth that was always familiar.


	3. My Jolly Sailor Bold, NaruHina

**Title: **My Jolly Sailor Bold  
><strong>Characters  Pairing : **Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke. NaruHina. SasuSaku if you squint  
><strong>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Summary:<strong> _"Mermaids?" "No, not just any mermaids. The __Captain's__ Mermaid." _  
><strong>Notes: <strong>Naruto & Hinata. Mermaid style. Bitter Sweet.  
><strong>standard disclaimer applies.<strong>

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><p>The crew, at least the ones that weren't always with the ship, didn't understand and shouted their dismay when they were told to scrub the deck clear of any hint of dirt off the top deck, to lay out the tables from the Captain's cabin so neatly and told to light only two lanterns on the side of the boat. Understood even less the water buckets that were left on the edges of the ship, and were plain old angry as a scowling Sakura and Sasuke told them to get below decks, and that they would be staying there the whole night as the sun went down. It shouldn't have been so strange, Captain Uzumaki was a odd man, this was the least of it.<p>

But any particularly vocal complaints from new comers was silenced in hurried whispers. _"Mermaids?" "No, not just any mermaids. The __Captain's__ Mermaid." _Confused still, but answers enough for the time being, they went about their work.

They shuffled under the decks as they were told, easily enough after the hasty explanations, and the men, who in a effort to keep them quiet were given more then their weeks supply of ale, fell into quiet conversation. That was, at least for awhile. Silence fell again when the voice of their Captain reached them. He wasn't issuing orders he was... singing?

_"My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold..."_

It was not a bad voice, a rough tenor.

But the voice that joined it, not two lines later chilled their spines and warmed their hearts.

_"... There is nothing can console me, but my Jolly Sailor Bold."_

They all strained to hear more, waited, for some sign. The ship rocked, as it always did. The singing continued, getting closer, and there - the oddest sound - a flick of water that was different to the gentle lapping. A sighing noise of what was most definitely a woman, and the warm relieved sound of their Captain's laugh.

"You came."

There was a pause, as if the other was trying to find the words, and on the still night, the other replied. "Always."

There was the flick of water again, it sounded like someone rising out of it. A hiss of pain. "It never dims, no matter how many times I.."

"Shh, here let me..."

Then the noise became so distant that they heard nothing but the rise and fall distant that sounded no different to the waves. They turned back to their first mates, Sakura, whose face was turned away, looking into some dark corner, and Sasuke, whose eyes were closed, their hands not holding, but simply resting next to each other.

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><p>The crew, by the time the sun rose, were fast asleep. Except for Sasuke and Sakura, who sat dry eyed, waiting for the sun to at last to bring the new day. Glancing at each other, then back over the sleeping men, the nodded and went back up to the top deck.<p>

Naruto was there, leaning against the railing on the side of the ship. His face was unreadable, next to him a dress lay pooled, and in his hand, a necklace made of pearls that were larger than most had ever seen was hanging loose, that he absently rubbed his thumb over.

There was a set of wet footprints leading to and from the edge of the boat.

"She's gone then?"

Naruto nodded, still not taking his eyes off the sunrise. "It never gets easier." He said, quietly, and they knew that he wasn't talking to either of them, nor could they offer any comfort. They didn't not know what it was to love something not of their world.

"Should we wake the men?" Sasuke said.

Naruto shook his head. "Let them sleep. We have no strong wind to rush them for anyway." He picked up the dress where it lay on the floor, and went to his cabin.

The buckets by the side of the boat were empty, and the footprints slowly started to dry.

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><p>xx<p> 


	4. Short Drop & Sudden Stop, Naru Sasu Gen

**Title: **Short Drop and a Sudden Stop  
><strong>Characters  Pairing : **Naruto, Sasuke.  
><strong>Rating: <strong>T  
><strong>Summary:<strong> _A small hitch in the plan. Sasuke doesn't think he has one. _  
><strong>Notes: <strong>little bit of banter that I so adore.  
><strong>standard disclaimer applies.<strong>

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><p>"Well good going dead last, we're here. In Port Konoha. Apart from this whole 'being stuck in the jail sentenced to death in the morning', it's full proof." Sasuke drawled.<p>

"Shut up, I'm thinking." Naruto replied.

"Wasn't aware you knew how." Sasuke rolled his eyes and Naruto hit him. Sasuke hit him back, ten minutes later, that guard walked in to find what the commotion was about, and there was Sasuke and Naruto, rolling around on the ground, trying to strangle each other with the chains of their shackles.

"Cut it out," the guard snapped.

Naruto looked up from where they were rolling on the floor knee in Sasuke's back. "Oi, when do we get our last meal?"

The guard frowned. "What?"

"You know, we're going to be hung in the morning. Our last meal, we're supposed to get one?"

"I don't know what you are doing about."

Naruto got off Sasuke, who rubbed his neck where he had been choked, wondering how Naruto always managed to walk it off like it was nothing. Damn the man and whichever heathen God witched him. Naruto stuck his wrists through the bars leaning against them. But for anyone that knew Naruto, the too-casual way he stood and smiled, the shifting of the shackles up his wrists... Sasuke got ready for _whatever_it was that Naruto was about to do.

"You aren't really not going to give the great Captain Uzumaki his last meal?" You could hear the grin in his words, Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You aren't Captain Uzumaki."

"Am too! Come look, I've got the marks and everything..." He leant his face forward through the bars. The guard strode closer, but not much. "You are going to have to get closer then that...!" Naruto chided. "I'm dirty, their hard to see."

He couldn't believe the guard was stupid enough to fall for it, but he came closer still, and in one swift movement, hampered as they were by the shackles, chain and door, he grabbed the guard and smashed his head against the bars. The guard was disorientated for a second, trying to get free, so Naruto did it again, the smack of skull against bars was echoing in the jail. "Why do they always seem to fall for that?" was his quiet mumble as the man fell to the ground, unconscious.

Sasuke strode up behind him, helping him pull the guards body closer and out of it, pulled the keys off the chain. He waved them in front of Sasuke, triumphant grin in place. "See, told you I could do it."

Sasuke frowned. "What do you want, a laurel wreath? Hurry up, if we let Sakura get married to Commodore Hyuuga, she'll kill us. Twice."

"She really does use us horribly." there was a pout on his whiskered face. "Someone needs to make a decent woman out of her."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, again. "That, Dead Last, is what we are preventing, if you remember. She doesn't want to be that, and considering how many times she's saved our necks. Or yours, and occasionally mine. It's fair."

Naruto sighed. "Fine, fine. Let's go. No doubt we'll take the blame for her 'abduction' again."

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><p>("If her father finds out that her only resistance is that we need to take baths more often, she's going to be strung up next to us.")<p> 


	5. Ten Years Later, PeinKonan

**Title: **For that which we want most.  
><strong>Characters  Pairing :** Konan, Yahiko/Nagato/Pein. Pein/Konan  
><strong>Rating: <strong>M  
><strong>Summary:<strong> All men, are fool for the Gods. Pein, once Nagato, was no exception.  
><strong>Notes: <strong>Pein & Konan. Davy Jones and Calypso style, here is the second part, as promised~!  
><strong>standard disclaimer applies.<strong>

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><p>(Ten Years Later)<p>

All men, are fool for the Gods. Pein, once Nagato, was no exception._her promise_that at the end of it, they could be together forever.

The pain wracked his chest, the betrayal, it was like a knife to his heart.

"C'ptain?" his first mate said, tentative as he strode on board _The Gods Eyes_. He felt the ship creak with his turbulent emotions.

His heart thudded against his chest again, straining against his ribs. Brutal, bitter, it threatened to consume him, the pain, oh god, _the pain_.

"Be gone." He snapped, turning his back heading for his cabin. "Let none disturb me."

The knife, the knife in his heart, slicing between his ribs, and only if it would finish the job. Never again. Never again would he be a fool for a God. He'd be twice the fool however, if he thought the feeling would just go by itself, that it could ever be gotten rid of. Because surely there was nothing to feel but this. Drawn to the sea - and now, now he could never leave it. He could never leave her, let her leave his heart or his mind. When he look at the waves, all there would be, would be her.

He'd take that knife, and he'd sever that bond.

Retreating to his cabin, took his knife and proceeded to do just that.

As he did so, he would not be alone in this betrayal, so a plan formed, slowly. He knew her secret... and she would pay. Revenge, it would be the last thing he would feel. Konan would know this as surely as he did. Then... then his heart would be locked far away and he would no longer feel anything any more.

It was no surprising when he awoke in the morning, his heart locked in a box, that the face that looked back at him was no longer that which he knew so well, it was Yahiko's. But there was the truth of it, there was no more Yahiko nor Nagato anymore - he knew only what she had taught him, and no more left to feel. He was Pein, and he was no man, god or woman's fool any longer.


End file.
